Mazda Falcon?

[fpv_gtho]

Interesting question isnt it.

Would you buy one? Or would you buy one from Mazda rather than Ford?

Ford and Mazda have a long history of sharing models, notably the Laser/323, Telstar/626 and Courier/Bravo. Most of the time its been Mazda's rebadged as Fords, but lately theyve been developing vehicles together, such as the Focus/3. Soon, the Mondeo and 6 will likely be put onto a common platform as Ford cut down CD3 and EUCD into a common platform.

The original plan for Falcons future was to play a part in Fords Global RWD achitecture, but just like GM, Ford have dumped that idea and now all their large cars will share DNA in the future. So Falcon's future lays with commonality with cars like Mondeo and 6, although its not necessarily going to be FWD based because of that. In some ways, that opens up the possibilities of seeing Falcon dervatives globally, which includes a possible Mazda variant.

Sales figures suggest more people want Mazda's than Fords. 3 sells close to 3000 a month regularly whilst Focus struggles around the 1000 mark. 6 and Mondeo show similar traits, as has Bravo-BT50/Courier-Ranger and Tribute/Escape in the past. Mazda's percieved as a more sporty brand than Ford. They back that up with suspension thats usually a touch stiffer and engines tuned for a touch more power/torque, sometimes at the expense of economy. They also dont have such a negative reputation for reliability and dealer service.

So would a large 4 door, 5 seat RWD/AWD Mazda tempt you more than the same from Ford?

[IBrake4Rainbows]

If Ford Australia are forced to make do with a FWD Falcon they will single handedly have signed their own death warrant.

I'm all for adapting to the times but when you've got the Mondeo within your own range cannibalising valuable high-end sales you really have to consider whether or not losing essentially the greatest point of difference - A uniquely Australian selling point in this market - is worth it.

As for a Mazda Falcon.....People didn't really take to a Toyota Commodore, so I'd have to wait & see the finished product.

[Ferrer]

A 6 or a Mondeo with rear drive?

Yes I'm all for it.

[pimento]

I doubt we'll see a RWD Mondeo come out of this, I'd say if there was a Mazda Falcon it'd be badged a 9, which'd link it to the old 929. It is a shame.. and rather mystifying.. that Ford US would dump the global platform plans, as it seems a good way to lower costs in these trying economic times. As for Mazda vs Ford, it'd depend on the badge engineering that goes on.. I'd get the one that drives better. The other thing about 3 vs Focus and 6 vs Mondeo is that.. well, aren't the Mazdas also cheaper?

[Ferrer]

I doubt we'll see a RWD Mondeo come out of this, I'd say if there was a Mazda Falcon it'd be badged a 9, which'd link it to the old 929. It is a shame.. and rather mystifying.. that Ford US would dump the global platform plans, as it seems a good way to lower costs in these trying economic times. As for Mazda vs Ford, it'd depend on the badge engineering that goes on.. I'd get the one that drives better. The other thing about 3 vs Focus and 6 vs Mondeo is that.. well, aren't the Mazdas also cheaper?

But the Mondeo is almost as big as the Falcon so probably both the Falcon and the Mondeo (and the 6) are going to have the same layout because they are going to share the same platform, wheter it is front or rear wheel drive.

Either that or the next Mondeo will be heavily downsized.

[NSXType-R]

Well, we already kinda had that as the MazdaSpeed 6, it didn't sell all too well though right?

[SlickHolden]

Are FoMoCo shaping there business like GM now?, Will we soon see all company's run under ford? Or am i grasping at the wrong idea?.

If Falcon was sold overseas as a Mazda car, I'm sure people that know it or we can tell them, Will buy it if priced right..

If sold here a Mazda 3 with a Ford badge that would be weird?.

But selling the same car in the same country it was built in, Under a different name?, I don't think that works anymore.

[f6fhellcat13]

It seems to me that Mazda would have trouble selling the Falc in the US. All Japanese sedans that aren't luxobarges seem to be fwd. Back in the day, however, there was this company called Ford that used to make big RWD sedans, and maybe they should try that again. As to a global platform, I think Ford would do ok here by putting the US Fusion on the smaller Mondeo architecture and leaving the RWD Falcon as it is.
I would personally embargo the Falcon if Ford makes it FWD.

[digitalcraft]

If they did, it probably wouldn't look like the current Falcon, and that's too bad: the falcon's hot. I'm a little nervous about Mazda with their new soul-less version of the 6, so I don't know if they would make it better or worse...

[fpv_gtho]

If Ford Australia are forced to make do with a FWD Falcon they will single handedly have signed their own death warrant.

Its not yet a gurantee that a global large car platform would be locked into being FWD biased. Mustang will use the architecture in the future, and thats more dependant on RWD than Falcon is so America will want RWD a possibility as much as us.

It is a shame.. and rather mystifying.. that Ford US would dump the global platform plans, as it seems a good way to lower costs in these trying economic times.

All that's been dumped is Global Rear Wheel Drive. Originally D3, CD3 and EUCD were to be merged together, as was E8 and DC2 into GWRD. Ford Oz was in the box seat to head development of GWRD, and apparently theyre still in a good position regards this new global large car platform.

If Falcon was sold overseas as a Mazda car, I'm sure people that know it or we can tell them, Will buy it if priced right..

If sold here a Mazda 3 with a Ford badge that would be weird?.

But selling the same car in the same country it was built in, Under a different name?, I don't think that works anymore.

Well Ford will be building Focus locally from 2011, and theyre looking at other C1 derivatives which includes Mazda3. Theyre only targeting 40K units per year, but if they could get 3 as well thats an easy 30K extra.

A Mazda Falcon doesnt have to be a badge engineered exercise like what we had 15 years ago. If you look at the 3 and Focus, every panel is different, including the doors.

[2ndclasscitizen]

Mazda's percieved as a more sporty brand than Ford. They back that up with suspension thats usually a touch stiffer and engines tuned for a touch more power/torque, sometimes at the expense of economy. They also dont have such a negative reputation for reliability and dealer service.

Mazda also spec their cars as standard a little higher as well.

But as for the Falcon, if they restyled it, yes. If they just did a Lexcen, fail.

[clutch-monkey]

it always seemed to me that ford and holden are sorta like if BMW was only selling 5 series...only now ford has the mondeo

[Zytek_Fan]

I'd like if Ford would bring the Falcon to the US as a Mazda

Hopefully the Ford global platform arriving in 2010 (or 2011) doesn't kill their RWD Aussie cars

[f6fhellcat13]

it always seemed to me that ford and holden are sorta like if BMW was only selling 5 series...only now ford has the mondeo

Doent Ford have some of the other Yurapean models too. An doesn;t holden have some daewoos reabdged as chevys rebadged as holdens?

[clutch-monkey]

Doent Ford have some of the other Yurapean models too.

yeah but their sedan range was sort of falcon and that's it, until the mondeo came. but they're better off than holden with the fiesta and focus i thought:

An doesn;t holden have some daewoos reabdged as chevys rebadged as holdens?

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